What color is the bleeding from a cervical polyp?

Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on May 26, 2025
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Women's cervical polyps are relatively soft and fragile. They can bleed easily when touched, such as during sexual intercourse or a gynecological examination. Contact with the polyp can cause bleeding, which usually appears as bright red. Some women may have vaginal discharge with bright red blood streaks. Because cervical polyps lack muscle fibers, they cannot contract to close the bleeding blood vessels. Therefore, they tend to bleed upon contact. When there is an accompanying infection, there may be abnormal vaginal secretions, such as purulent discharge containing fresh red blood streaks.

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Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Can cervical polyps lead to natural childbirth?

Cervical polyps generally allow for natural childbirth, as they do not affect the delivery process. During pregnancy, if cervical polyps are present, there may be minor vaginal bleeding, but these polyps usually do not impact the pregnancy or childbirth. If vaginal bleeding occurs during pregnancy, it is necessary to examine the cervix. If cervical polyps are observed, the bleeding might be caused by the polyps, which could indicate a threatened miscarriage. Therefore, if cervical polyps are present, they should be removed. Once the cervical polyps are removed, bleeding generally ceases. Thus, if vaginal bleeding continues after the removal of cervical polyps, it may indicate a threatened miscarriage during pregnancy, requiring further examination.

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Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Can cervical polyps become cancerous?

Cervical polyps can become cancerous, but the rate of malignancy is very low, around 1%. Cervical polyps are caused by chronic inflammation of the cervix, which leads to the hyperplasia of local connective tissue, forming pink, tongue-shaped growths that sometimes have a stalk and can bleed upon contact. This condition is caused by inflammation, but if there is also an HPV virus infection, there is a potential for cancerous changes. Therefore, the causes of cervical cancer and cervical polyps are different. Cervical cancer is caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), while cervical polyps are caused by inflammation. If cervical polyps are combined with an HPV infection, cancerous changes might only occur if the infection persists for more than two years.

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Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Can you have sexual intercourse with cervical polyps?

Patients with cervical polyps can easily experience bleeding during sexual intercourse. Therefore, if cervical polyps are present, the first step should be their removal. If bleeding during sexual intercourse persists after the removal, it is essential to undergo precancerous cervical screening. This is because contact bleeding during intercourse can occur if there are precancerous lesions in the cervix, and timely treatment is necessary. Precancerous cervical screening, which includes HPV and TCT tests, is a mandatory examination for women over the age of 30, allowing for the early detection of precancerous cervical changes and cervical cancer.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Are cervical polyps prone to miscarriage?

Cervical polyps are a common disease in women, mainly caused by local inflammation of the cervix which leads to localized tissue hyperplasia, appearing as polypoid changes. For cervical polyps, the majority of them are unlikely to cause miscarriage. Before pregnancy, it is generally recommended to check the cervix for polyps during pre-pregnancy examinations. If polyps are found, they should be removed before pregnancy. If cervical polyps are discovered during pregnancy, a joint decision should be made based on the patient's symptoms and clinical manifestations. If the cervical polyp is relatively small, it may not require treatment. However, if the cervical polyp repeatedly causes bleeding or inflammation, then it should be removed during pregnancy. Removing the polyp in accordance with standard treatment procedures is generally not likely to cause miscarriage.

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Written by Yan Qiao
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Is surgery necessary for cervical polyps?

Cervical polyps are a clinical manifestation of chronic cervicitis. Polyps can originate from the lips of the cervix or within the cervical canal, and generally vary in size. They are usually connected to the cervix by a small stalk. Cervical polyps rarely become malignant, with a very low chance of malignancy. However, if left untreated, the polyp can gradually increase in size, causing bleeding during intercourse, and even bleeding without contact. Additionally, there is the risk of malignancy, so once detected, it is recommended to remove them and definitely send them for pathological examination to rule out any possibility of malignancy.